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    Home » Side Dishes

    Sigeumchi Namul (Korean Spinach Side Dish)

    Published 09/23/2019. Updated 11/18/2020

    Jump to Recipe

    Sigeumchi namul is an easy Korean side dish (banchan) made with spinach. Simply blanch the spinach and season it. This recipe shows different ways to season the spinach.

    DSC 1945 1 e1518809724815 - Sigeumchi Namul (Korean Spinach Side Dish)
     
    Sigeumchi namul (시금치나물) is a simple Korean side dish (banchan, 반찬) made with spinach. Namul is the general term that refers to a seasoned vegetable dish, and sigeumchi means spinach in Korean.
     
    There are an infinite number of vegetables used to make nauml dishes in Korea. Spinach is one of the most common ones. It typically is served as part of the three color vegetable dishes (samsaek namul) served on traditional holidays. Sigeumchi namul is also highly common in bibimbap.
     
    Although the cooking time and seasonings vary, making namul dishes with green leafy vegetables usually involves blanching the vegetables and squeezing out the water content, followed by seasoning with a few basic ingredients. If you have these simple techniques down, you can make namul dishes with many different vegetables! Try it with baby kale, watercress, snow pea tips, etc.
     
    DSC5931 5 e1569294635207 - Sigeumchi Namul (Korean Spinach Side Dish)
     
    As I usually do for my bibimbap recipe, you can simply season the spinach with salt along with some minced garlic, sesame oil and sesame seeds.
     
    You can also season the spinach with guk ganjang, 국간장 (Korean soup soy sauce) instead of salt. Guk ganjang is a traditional soy sauce made as a byproduct of making doenjang, 된장 (Korean fermented soybean paste). While it’s better known as soy sauce for soups, it’s common for namul dishes, especially in country cooking. It adds a little umami boost to the vegetables!
     
    Another ingredient that’s great for sigeumchi namul is gochujang (Korean red chili pepper paste). Gochujang gives so much flavor and a little spicy kick!
     
    Try all these different options and let me know which one is your favorite.

    More vegetable side dishes:

    Watercress Namul
    Putbaechu (Young Cabbage) Doenjang Muchim
    Sesame Broccoli
    15 Korean Vegetable Side Dishes

    Sigeumchi namul  e1471796933721 - Sigeumchi Namul (Korean Spinach Side Dish)

    Watch How to Make It

    For more Korean cooking inspirations, follow  along on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

    DSC 1945 1 e1518809724815 300x300 - Sigeumchi Namul (Korean Spinach Side Dish)

    Sigeumchi Namul (Korean Spinach Side Dish)

    4.70 from 71 votes
    Side Dish
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Servings: 2
    Print Recipe

    Ingredients

    Mild

    • 1 bunch spinach about 10 ounces
    • 1 scallion chopped
    • 2 teaspoons guk ganjang, 국간장 (soup soy sauce) or use salt to taste
    • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
    • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
    • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
    • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Spicy

    • 1 bunch spinach about 10 ounces
    • 1 scallion chopped
    • 2 to 3 teaspoons gochujang 고추장 (Korean red chili pepper paste)
    • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
    • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
    • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
    • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
    • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

    Instructions

    • Trim off the roots from the spinach. Wash thoroughly until there is no sand in the water. Blanch the spinach in salted boiling water until wilted, 20 to 30 seconds.
      DSC5827 3 640x427 - Sigeumchi Namul (Korean Spinach Side Dish)
    • Quickly remove the spinach from the pot and shock in icy cold water to stop the cooking.
      DSC5828 2 640x427 - Sigeumchi Namul (Korean Spinach Side Dish)
    • Drain and gently squeeze out excess water. Cut into 3-inch lengths.
      DSC5839 2 640x427 - Sigeumchi Namul (Korean Spinach Side Dish)
    • Add the remaining ingredients and mix everything well by hand, loosening/separating the spinach pieces that have been clumped up together. It will take about 10 minutes for the flavor of the seasonings to seep into the spinach.
      DSC5842 640x427 - Sigeumchi Namul (Korean Spinach Side Dish)

    Notes

    Have a bowl of ice water ready before blanching the spinach. 
    Tried this recipe?Mention @koreanbapsang or tag #koreanbapsang!

    This recipe was originally posted in February 2011. It’s been updated with new photos and more information.

    You may also like:

    • DSC 1374 300x300 - Sigeumchi Namul (Korean Spinach Side Dish)
      Sesame Broccoli
    • DSC6236 e1653074460109 300x300 - Sigeumchi Namul (Korean Spinach Side Dish)
      Watercress Namul
    • DSC3899 4 e1644947571796 300x300 - Sigeumchi Namul (Korean Spinach Side Dish)
      Bibimbap
    • 15 Vegetable Side Dishes e1742773081526 300x300 - Sigeumchi Namul (Korean Spinach Side Dish)
      15 Vegetable Side Dishes (Banchan)
    « Songpyeon (Half-moon Shaped Rice Cake)
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Amy says

      April 30, 2024 at 12:31 am

      5 stars
      This is so simple and delicious! I love spicy but I can eat the mild version every day and not get tired of it. Thank you!

      Reply
      • An says

        June 09, 2024 at 5:29 am

        Wow. What a professional using the handle of the knife to crush the garlic. I thought it was a special device.

        Reply
    2. Sara says

      November 15, 2023 at 7:34 pm

      5 stars
      I love this. We had it with some other banchan and spicy pork bulgogi. It was delicious and easy.

      Reply
    3. Cristal says

      December 28, 2022 at 10:26 pm

      5 stars
      This was absolutely delicious. It was an easy recipe and was so PACKED with flavor! thank you.

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        December 29, 2022 at 11:28 pm

        Awesome! Thank you for trying it out.

        Reply
    4. Jackie says

      June 08, 2022 at 10:27 pm

      5 stars
      This was great! I made the spicy version. It brought back cravings for BiBimBop. I did a whole pound of spinach (in the plastic box) and increased the rest accordingly. It fit nicely in a 2 cup storage container. My friends are gonna love this. thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
    5. Helene says

      February 18, 2022 at 1:14 pm

      5 stars
      Fantastic! I made this to go in the mayak gimbap and it was amazing.

      Reply
    6. Judi says

      January 27, 2022 at 2:46 pm

      Thanks for this recipe. I love all kinds of banchan.
      Any tip if you can make this dish in advance (like 1 day before) and how long will this dish stay good to be eaten?

      Looking forward to more great recipes.

      All the best from The Netherlands!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        January 27, 2022 at 7:34 pm

        You can make it a day ahead. If you’re serving it to guests, you can hold the sesame oil until serving. It’s best to eat within 4 days. Just make sure to squeeze out the water tightly. Hope this helps.

        Reply
    7. Carol says

      January 16, 2022 at 1:08 pm

      Made this for the first time as my contribution towards Mom’s New Years meal. She loved it and took the leftovers! Thank you for your great recipes that please my Korean mom!

      Reply
    8. Lisa says

      March 16, 2021 at 10:03 pm

      This was delicious! I made the first option from the video. It was easy to make, and we had all of the ingredients on hand. Thank you!

      Reply
    9. Berrin Ergun-Longmire says

      January 02, 2021 at 11:43 am

      I tried almost all the recipes and they all were delicious!
      Easy to make. Thank you for sharing them.

      Reply
    10. Nikki says

      December 09, 2020 at 1:08 pm

      Hi, I love your recipes! Is it possible to make these side dishes ahead and in bulk? If so how long can it survive in my fridge?

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        December 12, 2020 at 11:10 am

        The side dishes made with fresh vegetables generally keep well for up to 4 days.

        Reply
    11. Christina Espinoza says

      November 08, 2020 at 10:40 am

      5 stars
      Just made last night as a side dish with my bulgulgi and it was a sure win! Just like how grandma would make! I opted in for a more spicy spinach and it was so good. My boyfriend who is American, also liked it!

      Reply
    12. Robin Porter says

      September 16, 2020 at 6:43 pm

      Hi Hyosun,
      You ROCK!!!!, what such a wonderful recipe, very tasty and fresh greens, cannot go wrong with this recipe. Using fresh ingrients made this side dish very sucessful with my family and friends, everyone wanted the recipe.
      Thank you,
      Robin

      Reply
    13. Alexandra says

      September 11, 2020 at 11:41 am

      Just got recipe, but it is very appetizing. Ingredients very well described.

      Reply
    14. Kittu says

      August 07, 2020 at 2:19 am

      How long can I keep this in the fridge?

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        August 07, 2020 at 10:37 am

        It should be for 3 to 4 days.

        Reply
    15. Hao says

      July 25, 2020 at 2:15 am

      Thank you for sharing this recipe. I am curious to know if frozen spinach can be used in place of fresh spinach. I read that frozen spinach is cut & blanched before flash frozen.

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        July 27, 2020 at 10:58 am

        Well, you can but I’d think it would be too soft for this dish.

        Reply
        • Krys says

          March 15, 2025 at 12:26 am

          5 stars
          I did the recipe with frozen spinach and it was good! It isn’t as great as fresh spinach but it works in a pinch and saves time from going to the store.

          Reply
    16. Linda J says

      June 23, 2020 at 12:16 pm

      5 stars
      I can never get recipes right, but yours are so easy to follow! I followed your recipe and even had the ice water prepared like your note suggested. Your website gives me courage. Thank you for the easy to follow directions and helpful tips. Also love the background. My spinach came out awesome! Even my husband loved it.

      Reply
    17. Nitika Bhasin says

      April 26, 2020 at 12:49 pm

      5 stars
      Loved the recipe. Thank you.

      Reply
    18. Diane says

      June 05, 2018 at 5:28 pm

      I just made a version of this (the non-spicy one) using snow pea tips (the leaves & soft stems — so delicious) and some perilla leaves from my garden. just for fun, I used some perilla oil instead of sesame oil (to me, it tastes pretty similar). it’s so delicious! soup soy sauce REALLY makes a difference in namul. thank you!

      Reply
      • Me says

        January 21, 2020 at 3:52 pm

        5 stars
        This recipe is amazing! It came out even better than I’d remembered. Definitely something that I’ll make again

        Reply
        • Hyosun says

          January 21, 2020 at 8:46 pm

          Great! I’m so glad to hear that.

          Reply
    19. syirara says

      March 18, 2018 at 3:03 am

      for how long I can keep this in the refrigerator?

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        March 18, 2018 at 11:15 am

        Should be fine 3 to 4 days. Enjoy!

        Reply
    20. Jude says

      March 13, 2018 at 6:06 pm

      Hyosun, any reason I couldn’t use Chinese water spinach instead? I like the taste and I can buy it cheaper than actual spinach

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        March 13, 2018 at 10:51 pm

        You can use any similar green leaf vegetables. Enjoy!

        Reply
    21. Debbie says

      January 25, 2018 at 6:53 pm

      Wonderful spinach dish. If you don’t like spicy, cut down on the chili paste.

      Reply
    22. Will says

      December 26, 2017 at 2:46 pm

      Please advise if the ingredients is intended for two servings.

      Thanks,

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        December 26, 2017 at 11:01 pm

        This is a side dish, so it really depends on what other side dishes you have and the size of the serving. Having said that, this should be enough for 2 to 4 people as a side dish. Hope this helps.

        Reply
        • Will says

          December 28, 2017 at 12:54 pm

          Thank you. We will be trying this tonight.

          Reply
    23. Judith Skilang says

      May 06, 2017 at 10:10 pm

      This is the first time I’ve seen it written down as a recipe. I was taught by my Korean girlfriends, and that was by how it was to taste. Now I can share it with my other friends and relatives. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        May 17, 2017 at 7:36 pm

        Great! Thanks for spreading the word!

        Reply
    24. isa says

      June 30, 2016 at 6:46 pm

      is there a way to print this recipe?

      Reply
    25. J. Park says

      February 09, 2016 at 10:41 am

      I’d love to make this with your Dak Bulgogi recipe for dinner tonight…I only have prepackaged baby spinach though! Is that an okay substitute? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        February 09, 2016 at 9:37 pm

        Sorry if I am too late to respond for your dinner. Hope you tried it with baby spinach. It just needs to be cooked very briefly because it’s so tender.

        Reply
    26. Barb Melrose says

      April 19, 2015 at 4:01 pm

      Is this dish supposed to be served hot or should it be refrigerated and served cold?

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        April 19, 2015 at 4:25 pm

        Usually served at room temperature or cold. Thanks!

        Reply
    27. nicole kim says

      June 18, 2014 at 8:59 pm

      This is the only Korean side dish my husband will eat! I made this along with your slow cooker kalbi chim and they were both soo good. Thank you so much for the wonderful recipes and looking forward to seeing more recipes!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        June 19, 2014 at 1:28 am

        Hi Nicole – You’re welcome! I’m very happy to hear you and your husband enjoyed it.Thanks for letting me know!

        Reply
    28. rebecca @ beurrista says

      April 22, 2012 at 8:16 pm

      I am trying it tonight, with some kalbi bought at hmart.

      Looking forward to it!

      Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        April 23, 2012 at 1:55 am

        Sounds great! Hope you enjoyed it. Thanks, Rebecca!

        Reply
    29. rebecca @ beurrista says

      April 22, 2012 at 8:15 pm

      I am making this tonight with some kalbi. Looking forward to it!

      Reply
    30. Hyosun Ro says

      January 05, 2012 at 1:32 pm

      Thank you, Lilluz! Glad your husband liked it. You know spinach is good for us. Happy cooking!

      Reply
    31. Lilluz says

      January 05, 2012 at 11:44 am

      My dear Korean husband always used to tell me that he doesn’t like spinach. I made this tonight, he tentatively tasted it and rated it 10 out of 10! This is a testament of how good your recipe is! Thank you very much for sharing!

      Reply
    32. Judy says

      February 27, 2011 at 8:05 pm

      Mmm, I’ve enjoyed a similar spinach dish at a local Korean restaurant and have always wondered how to recreate it. I’m certain yours will be better. 🙂 One of my favorite vegetables is cooked spinach and I’ll look forward to giving your recipe a try. I think it will be a great side dish to the pre-marinated Korean beef (yes, b/c I’m too lazy to make my own so I buy store-bought) that my family likes. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    33. 5 Star Foodie says

      February 22, 2011 at 3:27 pm

      A very flavorful preparation of spinach, this is an excellent side dish!

      Reply
    34. A little bit of everything says

      February 22, 2011 at 4:22 am

      this salad sounds delicious. love the flavors you put in it. thanks for sharing

      Reply
    35. A SPICY PERSPECTIVE says

      February 21, 2011 at 4:51 am

      I’ve never wanted to eat spinach so much in my life. this sounds fantastic!

      Reply
    36. Nau says

      February 19, 2011 at 9:14 pm

      That looks yummy, thanks for sharing! I love gochujang so I can see it making anything taste good. 😉

      Reply
    37. Add A Little Love says

      February 18, 2011 at 3:15 pm

      I am popping back to say thank you for visiting my blog. I also browsed your blog. Love it. I am a super fun of Korean food. Will come back often to visit your blog.

      Amy

      Reply
    38. Anonymous says

      February 17, 2011 at 4:24 pm

      I made this last night. We enjoyed it a lot. Thanks for posting.

      Hugh in Dallas

      Reply
    39. Rachel {Mother's Mementos} says

      February 17, 2011 at 4:01 am

      Hello! I found your site through Chef Dennis and absolutely love it! I think it’s sweet that you’ve created this for your children. I’m also Korean and whenever I asked my mom for recipes and measurements for her dishes, she said there were none! She eyeballs everything and learned from watching. I regret not having paid better attention to her cooking while I was growing up. But I’m making up for it now.

      And your recipes will surely help! My parents and in-laws will both be impressed. 🙂

      -Rachel

      Reply
    40. Alejandra Ramos says

      February 16, 2011 at 6:58 pm

      My husband would love this…

      Reply
    41. denise @ quickies on the dinner table says

      February 16, 2011 at 11:40 am

      I really, really love how some form of chilli or other features in so many Korean dishes! I would be happy to eat nothing but Korean food for a long , long time before I start craving anything else! This is simple, but no less lovely for it. Thanks for sharing 🙂

      Reply
    4.70 from 71 votes (61 ratings without comment)

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    Hi! I'm Hyosun, and I am a Korean-American mom of two wonderful grown-up children. Here, you will learn how to cook Korean dishes the way we Koreans traditionally eat at home. Read More...

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